The Complex
by Brimseye
Summary: Echo, oc a young girl on the verge of loosing her humanity, is trying to survive in a brutal environment where people want to control her for there own agenda. She can look out for herself but can she protect the only person who keeps her sane?
1. Beginings

Echo laid down on the ground exhaling in a sigh of exhaustion. The ice cold metal floor of the cell felt good against her over heated skin. Her heart rate was still elevated slightly from the workout in the "exercise room". She'd ran 10 miles on a stupid tread mill with an armed guard staring at her the whole time. He made her mad, his staring made her mad. His gun aimed at her made her mad. The fact that the guard who "escorted" her to her cell was still around dumbly staring at her made her furious.  
She glared pointedly at the guard. The idiot didn't move.

Echo's attack was so fast the guard only had time to draw in a startled breath as she lunged forward, snarling like a wild creature. She stopped herself just inches short from the blue force field, that completed the three-walled cell. The guards expression made an amazing evolution from self righteousness, to a stupefied ghostly complexion. He staggered back a few steps in surprise, clutching his shirt over his heart in a clenched fist.

x  
He had expected the girl to somehow break through the force field. He stumbled away from her glare and toothy snarl, and retreated as fast as his legs would take him. He ran through the sterile halls of the complex, face beaten red. Finally reaching his resident quarters he punched the key code with shaking fingers and locked the thick door behind him. He leaned against it still shaking. Warm liquid had spread down the legs of his pants. He recognized the tangy smell.

Time to retire. He told himself he would have to move somewhere warm to fully enjoy retiring, and if he was lucky no one had been in the surveillance room watching and he could leave with his head held high.  
x

Echo sat calmly in the corner of her cell. A ten by ten foot cubical. She stared vacantly at her view of the Hall. The Hall housed six other cells besides her own. All were empty, at the moment. The doors at the far end were unceremoniously vacant of guards. Echo snorted to herself at the precious memory of the ashen faced guard she'd surprised. The lingering stench made her want to gag but at the same time she couldn't help but grin with total satisfaction.

A soft laugh sounded inside her mind.

_Morning Echo_. Obscure greeted Echo quietly. Echo's only other fellow prisoner. Obscure provided the only genial interaction Echo had ever been subject to.  
_Hey you ok today? _Echo thought the words protectively back to Obscure. She was mindful to keep the thought small and tightly aimed for Obscure's thoughts.  
_I'm ok, just exercising_. A vague thought about how Obscure would like to stuff a guards eyeballs in his own pants drifted by, making Echo snort in laughter.  
_Spooked another guard._ Echo bragged. Obscure's mental image beamed brightly, obviously amused.  
_So I heard! I think you scared him off for good. He's making plans to leave. Some image of a beautiful place by the water. _Obscure showed Echo the thoughts she had stolen from the guards mind. Obscure wistfully pictured the two of them sitting there on the sand, baking in the hot sun and sipping on cool flavorful drinks. A sudden alert from Obscure senses startled them both out of the dream.  
_Got'ta go now Echo_. Obscure abruptly cut off her daydreaming thoughts. Echo nodded to herself, feeling the loss already of Obscure's thoughts to openly 'speak' to just for the sake of comradeship.

Two guards entered the hall a few seconds later. They spoke in hushed whispers, now and then glancing in Echo's direction, as if she wouldn't notice. Echo regarded the woman and male with disdainful un-interest. She moved to lay on her back in the raised cell. At the same time positioning herself in an angle to better hear there conversation. She might think they were dolts, but even dolt-talk is talk, and talk was always useful. The force field dulled all sounds, but her supersensitive hearing made up for that with ease.  
"...acts just like him..." The female guard glanced quickly in Echo's direction. The male nodded.  
"She talks kinda like him...have you seen those old vids in the archives?"  
The woman shook her head, sending her light brown curls bouncing wildly.  
"I haven't even heard her say a word...I thought she couldn't talk for some reason." She said in a low voice.  
"She talks. I've heard her." The male guard straightened his stance a little and lifting his chin a little higher. He tugged on the too-small uniform, to get it to stay in place, uselessly.  
"I've heard those stories of old X escaping, like fifty years ago. Didn't he destroy a complex? I heard he killed everyone in the base." The woman said seriously in hushed tones. The male guard hushed her quickly, staring suspiciously at Echo relaxing in her cell. Echo rolled her eyes. Maybe she was wrong about dolt talk.

The man Leaned closer to the woman's ear, he blocked his mouth from being seen from Echo's direction.  
"We can find out if its true...later" He whispered. The woman nodded, eye's sparkling strangely.  
Echo sighed. This talk of a former prisoner did little for her restless mood. If this X had escaped so could she. These new guards were so stupid they had probably been pulled from the warehouse...guarding boxes. She just had to find exactly the right moment. Life in the complex was torturous and if Echo cared about anything in her miserable existence, it was the petite, young woman that shared the Hall with her. If there was a way to escape this horrible place they would find it.

At any cost.

Echo flipped over and sat up against the corner, watching the door. The guards came to attention, as the heavy metal doors slid open and four armed soldiers marched in to halt, at Echo's cell.  
_This is interesting. What was happening today? S_he wondered.  
Be careful Echo. Obscures small voice sounded almost inaudibly in her thoughts.  
The four soldiers held there rifles tightly and aimed at Echo. The lead soldier hesitated before lowering the force field. Glancing to his comrades in arms to reassure himself.  
_Echo don't get yourself into trouble with them. There not worth it._  
Soldiers take us to the Doctor's and techs. Who in turn, keep us locked up, running circles, and stuck with needles every day. What do you want me to do, praise them??

_Just use your head Echo maybe you'll learn something today. _Obscure said again. The sayi_ng had become a sing song tone from overuse._

The solider lowered the forcefield. Backing a few steps to give her room to move out. Slowly Echo jumped down from the cell into the center of the group, eying the leader doubtfully. The large soldier that had lowered her force field stood facing Echo squarely.  
"We have orders to escort you for lab testing in section five. We have been authorized to use any force necessary." The guard stumbled though his rehearsed speech. His eyes darted nervously at his soldiers. A sheen of sweat coated his face and neck. The stale stench was almost unbearable.

_Echo...Section five has some kind of psych barriers...I won't be able to hear you in there! _Obscure dead serious tone chilled Echo's spine. Echo glared at the soldier defiantly but turned to the doors obediently ready to be escorted to section 5. They kept their rifles trained on Echo as they moved down the hall and pass the two warehouse box guards. Echo spared them a glare and a snarl. The door guards recoiled, fear rolling off them like perfume. They stepped out through the wide doors.

x  
Section five. Echo stepped into the dark room, the doors closed behind her with a hydraulic hiss. As her vision adjusted from the bright halls she noticed a pail green light emitting from three tanks. They stood as tall as nine feet and about three feet wide. Green bubbling liquid swirled inside. She'd only been to the 'lab' once before, she couldn't totally recall what had happened but she associated pain with the three test tanks. She instinctively backed away from them. The hair on her neck and arms stood on end. A deep rumbling growl protested the confines of the room. The door hissed open. A wrinkly old man with dull blue eyes entered the room. Motioning the soldiers to wait outside.

Stupid old man. She grinned to herself. The doors closed, shutting out the anxious faces of the soldiers. Echo growled at the Doctor.  
"Now, now Echo don't be so barbaric." The Doctor snapped irritated and baring his teeth. He revealed to Echo he carried a gun, at his hip.  
"Your the barbarian!" Echo growled just loud enough for him to hear. She circled him. Picturing the Doctors head rolling in his own blood cooled her rage a little. The base would go on lock down and she'd be shot and sent to solitary probably for the rest of her life.  
But if I got to kill the Doctor, wouldn't it be worth it? No hint of a comment from Obscure.  
So, the shield were as bad as Obscure thought. No communication for those with talented minds, or friends of talented minds.  
The Doctor glared at her and moved to a computer console against the wall.  
"As you already know these doors are keyed to certain people. You couldn't possibly get out if anything happened to me." He told her sounding as if he believed his own speech. Then, he turned his back to her.

"That won't stop me from ripping you apart!" Echo snarled violently and leaped at his exposed back. The Doctor fell to the ground before she hit him, in a cowardly ploy for self preservation. A feeble cry of fear on his lips. Hand half way to his gun, when the feral woman threw a full fisted punch at his face. The doctor's head slammed against the concrete with a dull thud. In a clear almost musical note, metal resounded against concrete, as the gun skittered away from his suddenly lacks hand. She slugged his gut making him exhale sharply. Raising an arm defensively to ward off the nonstop blows, he managed to press a panic button on his belt. Instantly light flooded the dark room as four soldiers stormed in.

Before the soldier's eyes could adjust, Echo dropped her attack on the doctor and attacked the slow soldiers as they entered. The first, she dispatched with a hard kick that sent him flying back into another guard. The second guard had just enough time to regained his balance and aim his rifle. A well placed kick sent his gun flying and snapped the bones of his arms. The third guard reached for her. Swinging a baton from above. Echo threw him off-balance with the help of his own weight and stomped on his face. One guard left she rushed him and slammed her fist into his throat.

She launched herself through the small remaining space of the closing doors. She landed hard on her shoulder. She jumped to her feet quickly and surveyed the hallway for signs of more guards, spotted no one, picked a direction and ran. She carefully checked each doorway and corner for guards and a way out. She had just made it out of section five when the alarms sounded and soldiers began to swarm the hallways. She ducked into a deep dark doorway.  
_Echo! Can you hear me? _Obscure's voice sounded in Echo's mind. Relief washed through Echo at the mental voice.  
_Scure, where are you? _Echo asked tensely. Her hiding spot would only last a minute at the most.  
_I'm heading down the hall you're in, if I'm not mistaken. _Obscure replied cheerfully.  
_Towards Section five or away? _Echo asked. Just then two armed guards marched past with Obscure walking between them. Echo suppressed a possessive growl and darted out into the hall to deliver two vicious spine jabs to the guards necks. They fell in smelly heaps to the floor.

_stinkin guards takin my Scure to section five..._Echo growled.  
_That would be towards section five Echo._ Obscure said dryly. Echo registered a smug smile on Obcure's face before she disappeared from sight. A strong hand grabbed hers and Echo turned invisible as well. Echo grinned.  
_Imagine the havoc we could cause like this! _Echo thought briefly went rogue. Obscure laughed. Echo pulled Obscure though the hall towards the higher guarded sections where the doors to the outside were located. Silently they ran through hall after hall, passing frantic security guards without being noticed. They finally reached a door marked LAKESIDE BOAT LAUNCH ACCESS. Authorized personnel only.

_This is the exit I saw two months ago on my way back from section three! _Obscure sent to Echo excitedly.  
_Common open! _Echo hissed at the door. She dug her fingers into the crack between the doors. Obscure kept a hand on Echo's shoulder and tried to help with one hand. Echo growled with the effort and was rewarded with a hydraulic hiss and the door was forced apart and inch. She jammed her hand between the metal doors and continued to muscle her way inside. At six inches Obscure could just squeeze through. Echo forced the doors open a little wider for her bigger body and stepped through letting the door close behind her. Dropping her invisibility Obscure ran across a high platform to the edge to find a way down.  
_Must be a silent alarm on the doors_. She thought to Obscure as they slid down a latter to a waiting dock at water level. Half a dozen patrol boats lined the end of the dock. The enormous room was made entirely of glass. They could see the outside calling to them. The lake outside served as a natural barrier to the complex.  
_Agreed _Obscure nodded hardly daring to look outside for fear she would loose her focus. The girls raced for the boats at the end of the dock.  
_Can smell them coming_. Echo growled disgusted at the thought.  
_Lets not get caught this time! _Obscure sent to Echo tensely. Echo grunted her agreement.  
They chose together, at the speed of thought, to take the boat at the end of the dock, nearest the exit. Echo untied the boat and Obscure jumped in. Behind the wheel Obscure searched for a key or a power source. Finding none she reached under the dash and tore our a bundle of brightly colored wires. She bit at a few wires chewing them in half then stripping the plastic coating off the ends. Echo pushed the boat away from the dock and jumped in.  
Suddenly the door opened and soldiers marched in. Obscure turned herself the boat and Echo invisible quickly. She sparked the bare wires together and the boat roared to life. She grabbed the throttle and pushed it to full open. The guards opened fire scattering shots franticly around the room at random.  
A shot hummed by Echo's ear. Echo heard Obscure's body fall to the floorboards, her camouflage seeped away slowly. The boat slowed slightly and turned at will with no one at the wheel. A long dart embedded in Obscures shoulder stuck out of her at a strange angle.  
_Tranqs_... Obscure's mind thought, fuzzy and slow inside of Echo's. Echo grabbed the controls and the wheel yanking hard to veer away from a thick wall. She headed for the open bay door and slammed the throttle open angrily.  
Hold on Obscure.  
A sharp pain bit Echo's lower back. She jumped in surprise, and pulled a long dart from her muscles. She watched transfixed as a drop of her blood fell from the needle. She shook her head to clear the fuzziness starting to cloud her mind and threw the dart away. A second dart found her thigh. She snarled. They were almost out, almost free! So close to the open bay door that led to the lake. The bay door, began closing. It was a fast closing door. But it too was made of glass. Echo knew the boat could break threw it easily at the speeds they were going, it was the secondary metal blast doors that she was worried about. Easily remedied. Echo switched tactics and headed for a fragile glass wall. The sleek boat broke through the wall, shattering glass over every surface in the boat and the water.

A mechanical whorring warned Echo two seconds before mounted turret guns over the entrance locked onto the moving target and began firing. Echo dived over Obscure's prone body. She picked the girl up and threw them both over the boat's low wall into the cold water, as the live rounds pelted the water and splintered the boat up in seconds. In a minute the boat was demolished. The only thing left was small chunks of wood and fiberglass floating in the water. Echo surfaced, tasting blood and choking on water she'd swallowed. It took all the strength she had left to raise Obscure's body and bring her face out of the water. She was going to loose the battle to the water soon.  
A boat made its way lazily towards them. A guard reached down to her and pulled Obscure up into the boat gently. Tears of hate and anger blurred Echo's vision as she looked up at the guards. They stared down at her like vultures. One guard aimed his live round blaster at her chest and held down the trigger. Echo's vision suddenly blacked out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome to the second chapter! hello! Thank you for reading and I hope you like the second instalment of The Complex. I guess if your reading this chapter it means i didn't do too badly with the first chapter. yay!**

**x**

**x **

**x  
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Echo was aware of herself regaining consciousness in stages. First, sound was incorporated into her dreams and the realization that something comforting was missing. Usually Obscure was a constant feature in her dreams. Not because Echo had conscious will over her dreams but more like, because she didn't. Obscure always incorporated herself into her dreams to keep Echo from having nightmares.

Next was the memory of what Obscure and her had tried to do. She knew she wasn't in water anymore, so she didn't immediately have to worry about drowning. Obscure was probably still unconscious from the tranqs. Explaining why she hadn't been in Echo's dreams.

Her body hurt all over. She could smell blood. The newly healed bullet wounds were still raw, she could feel warm liquid seeping from the torn flesh on her chest, arms and legs. Cold lake water still dripped from her short hair running down her face and neck to mix with blood.

Light shinned too bright against her closed eyelids. When she did open her eyes she had to blink a few times until her eyes adjust. Looking down at herself she noticed she was on a slightly reclined but vertical table. Wrists, waist and legs were strapped down with double thick metal cuffs. Below the table a puddle of pink diluted water was gathering.

_Haven't been out for long._

The room around her, that she could see past the lights in her face, was sterile white. Echo tugged against the restraints experimentally, but the metal and its joints held strong.

"Ah the mutant spawn awakens..." The familiar voice of the Dr sounded in the room. She scanned the room again but couldn't spot him or smell him.

_Must be an intercom hidden in the walls._

"I trust that taste of outside air was refreshing.?...It will be the last time you ever see the outside. Are you proud of yourself? Dragging your little friend into your play time? Now she will have to be taught that disobedience is rewarded. Unfortunately for her ,and me, she probably won't survive without a healing factor like yours." The Dr trailed off. His deceptively soothing voice gone from the room for a moment.

A strange noise filled the small room making the hackles on her neck stand on end. It was a high pitched wine and kept intensifying in pitch.

"You on the other hand, I'm sure, will be able to look forward to many more rewarding sessions." The Dr said his voice smug.

Suddenly Echo's body stiffened and her hands began to burn, her joints felt as if they were on fire. Tiny bolts of lightning arced from the metal table to the water on the floor, finding a release back into its natural state. Echo's mind tried desperately to cut her off from the agonizing pain. Instead her muscles locked in the positions they were in and tensed with the unnatural current running through them. Her jaw clenched vice like on her tongue and a grating yell forced it's way through her throat. The water still on her skin boiled, then evaporated before her wide eyes.

When the current stopped Echo's released muscles were left powerless. She could see smoke rising from somewhere below. She could smell burnt flesh and hair. Blissfully she lost consciousness.

x

x

x

x

Echo woke floating over grey floor watching it pass just inches under her face. Two pair of hands gripped her upper arms tightly. She couldn't move her legs, she was being dragged down a hall. Echo struggled against the guards hold. She was so weak. Her charred muscles needed time to heal but her healing factor wasn't doing it's job like it usually did. As the strange procession rounded a corner she heard the high pitched wine of the machine she'd just come from. A piercing scream penetrated the complex's walls and straight through Echo's mind.

_ECHO!_

_Obscure!_ The sound of the girl's scream filled Echo with rage, giving her strength enough to knock the guards away. She crawled back following the urgent pull in her mind. The guards gave chase laughing at her weakness. One guard pistol whipped the base of her skull causing a sickening crunch of bone and making her loose her vision briefly.

"That was for Tom! You killed him you know!" The guard kicked her ribs. Echo retched, pain exploding in her body all over again. She forced herself to her hands and knees and crawled forward resolutely. The Guards grabbed her arms and twisted them behind her back, picking her up again and turning away from the direction Echo had been struggling in. Away from Obscure. Echo was powerless to save Obscure and she knew it. The guards knew it too. That knowledge however didn't stop her from trying to break free of the guards. She knew she had lost when the guards threw her into her cell and activated the force field and all she could muster was a groan.

She lay as still as she could, trying to shallow her breathing to keep things from hurting. Her healing abilities should have at least lessened the pain by now.

_If I haven't healed by now maybe that means I don't have healing abilities anymore. Scratch that one, healing is genetic for me. Maybe I have to wait longer for burns..._ She mused, not trying to remember that every second she sat here trying to heal, her only friend was dying because of this place. Because of the Dr. Echo pushed herself up slowly into a sitting position, she had to lean heavily against a wall to support herself. She was wearing a new body suit since the old one was most likely ashes now. It was uniform grey, covered feet and hands. She hated the thing. Always the same color, always the same form fitting suit binding her in so she could hardly breath.

x

x

Half an hour later she began to feel the familiar tingle throughout her body signaling her healing abilities were finally kicking in. She sat still in relief as her healing began fixing one thing after another in rapid order. It took an hour for her hearing to begin knitting itself back together, and Obscure still hadn't come back from section five. She growled at the thought and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

"...n't belive it's true!." Echo heard a feint voice as her hearing repaired. She glanced towards the door noticing for the first time that the warehouse guards were back at the far end of the hall.

"Man...If anyone has the right to say they hate there job, it's us!" The male tried at a sideways whisper while keeping an alert stare on Echo.

"Well at least we won't have to worry about...that new buil...is almost done, now all they have to do...her cell and transfer...to section five." The male guard was saying. Echo's brows knit together as her senses flickered on and off while her healing abilities fine tuned the last of the damaged eardrums. At last her hearing tuned to a sharp point and Echo was able to hear the guards as clear as a bell.

"Why do they need Echo's cell? Can't they just build another one on the site?" The woman asked. The male shook his head.

"Somethin' about how Echo's cell is special strength, used to be old X's cell, and with the new projects coming in were gonna need lots of strength" The woman's eyes lit up and she almost turned towards him.

"Heard anything new about what there gonna be?" She asked excited.

"Don't know yet, no one's leaked from the top yet...just that things are goin' ta change soon." The male shrugged as if he were wise and experienced in all things. Echo kept her permanent scowl on her face.

_New definitely ain't good._ She thought to herself.

_Footsteps! _ She stayed where she was, letting her thoughts return to Obscure. Out there some where in section five, she let her anger rise to her consciousness. The doors opened and almost as a moving part the two guards snapped to attention at exactly the same time. Six guards with rifles filed into The Hall and formed a half circle around the opening to her cell. Echo didn't move. She stared at her feet, her legs drawn up for her relaxed arms to rest on. She was still leaning against the wall as if in need of its support.

_Let them think I'm still weak. It will be the last thoughts they have._

These guards looked different. They were not the flabby gut guards that usually occupied the Base's halls. They held there weapons with ease and were calm and attentive. These men were from the outside! The solder closest to the manual force field release on her cell punched the button, the blue tinted wall flickered off line. Two guards jumped up into her cell when she didn't move.

"Get up." The guard on her left growled at her. Echo didn't move. Through the legs of the other guard standing in front of her Echo watched the two door guards nervously palming their weapons. The guard on her left crouched down to her face level.

"Did you hear me or are you deaf?" He breathed toxic threat. He reached out to grab her arm.

"GET UP!" He shouted in her face.

Echo grabbed two fingers of the guards hand before he could touch her and bent them backwards sharply locking his arm in a tight position where he couldn't move without breaking something in his arm. She slapped the rifle out of his hands and dug her fingers into the soft flesh of his throat making sure he could just take occasional gasping breaths. Before the others could react she kicked out backwards kicking the other guards weapon out of his hands,with the ease of years of practise, then pinned the soldier against the wall of her cell with the edge of her foot digging into his neck.

The soldiers outside of her cell aimed there rifles at her. She grinned at them. Both soldiers at Echo's mercy stood rock still. The one behind her gurgling choking sounds. The one before her turning a slightly purple color.

"Drop them mutant!" A soldier roared at her, his voice on the edge of panic.

"Take me to Obscure" She laid down her terms in a growl. They all glared.

_There not gonna' take it. _She thought darkly.

The guards stood still, not moving to give her what she demanded. She tightened her hold on both men. The man in front of her shifted slightly. Before Echo could take in a breath the guards in The Hall responded to some silent signal and began firing. Echo ducked behind the guard before her and turned him to face the firing squad. Taking a searing bullet graze to her shoulder for not moving fast enough.

By the time the guards realized there friend was in the line of fire instead of Echo it was to late for the human shield. When the echo died down in The Hall Echo let the guard drop and jumped for the remaining soldiers. She slammed hard into the force field as one guard activated it in time to save himself and his buddies from immediate death. Echo punched the force field with such force blood splattered around the room from her split knuckles.

"I'll kill him! You tell the Dr I'll kill him!" She screamed. She kicked the dead guard hard to prove her point. She spotted the other guard who had not been smart enough to escape her cell when he had the chance and attacked. In seconds he lay unconscious in a pool of his own blood.

The solders retreated.

x

x

x

The Dr. stood facing a wall of screens. Some looked on halls. A couple watched Echo's cell.

"Sir?" The soldier reminded the Dr. that he was still waiting for orders.

"Bring Echo X to section five. I must begin today." He said voice full of urgency.

"Sir she just..." The solider began protesting but lost the words to go on. The girl had looked no more than seventeen in appearance. Heaven only knew, he had been completely unprepared for the vicious instinct the girl possessed. The rage she radiated, he'd only seen it before in veterans of long forgotten wars. Her eyes. He shuttered involuntarily. Those brown eyes almost made him think she knew what he was thinking of before he himself knew.

"I know what It did Jameson." The Dr. hissed at him strangely.

"That's what It was made for..." The Dr. whispered to himself. The Dr. snapped out of his thoughts and turned slightly towards Jameson.

"Take ten soldiers and arm them with rifles and some S 10 dart pistols. Bring Echo X to section five and stay with It this time. You'll have to help with the testing itself." The Dr. muttered unconcerned. He turned back to the screens. Jameson turned to go.

"Oh, and Jameson...If you succeed you'll be given a significant bonus on top of your fee." The Dr's voice called after him. Jameson stopped and watched the Dr's back for a second, then continued on his way. He wondered briefly if he should have told The Dr. of Echo's threat.

x

x

x

Echo squatted in a corner with her back against the wall. She was as far as her limited cell would allow her from the guards. She growled under her breath at the dead and unconscious guards. The unconscious guard groaned and rolled onto his side as he began to wake up. The man opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Echo's wicked grin. He laid perfectly still. Hoping not to show more weakness that would attract another attack.

_Ten feet square is really too close for two people and a dead guy...he's starting to smell.  
_

A few seconds before the Hall doors opened Echo tensed and stood. The guard in her cell rolled his eyes from the door to her and back again. He lost consciousness again when Echo's foot connected with his temple. Ten soldiers marched in each carrying two weapons. A rifle held in both hands and a dart gun strapped to each one's hip. The Leader of the soldiers punched the button for the force field and it flickered off. Cautiously a soldier reached into her cell and grabbed the unconscious man by the arm and slowly pulled him out. Echo let him go.

The Leader motioned Echo to come out of her cell. Echo moved slowly her hands at her sides loosely and kept eye contact with the Leader. He was muscular. Had a shaved head of dirty blonde hair, bright blue eyes and a crooked nose from an encounter with a hard object. He was calm, he held his weapon with a casualness that suggested he was very familiar with it. She jumped the two feet down to the concrete floor and waited for the warning from Obscure to stay calm and not get in trouble. Nothing, not even a tickle of laughter.

The Leader motioned her to follow the departing guards. Eight guards formed two walls along side her. One walked in front of her and the Leader walked behind her with his gun point grazing her neck. She walked slow to protest being led away but the guards dropped their paces to match hers without a noticable command. The Leader prodded her forward by gun point

_What can I do but go...I can't heal a severed spinal cord no matter how hard I try._

Leaving the Hall they entered into the next section under a password and key card to open the doors as they passed through. At section five Echo followed eagerly searching hallways and open doors for Obscure. The small procession reached a specific door. The guard in front entered the code and the door opened revealing the same room she had been taken to just twelve hours ago. It seemed like days. The room had the same green glow and the huge testing tanks inside. Echo stood her ground the hair on her neck rising at the aggressive looks the guards were beginning to give her. The Leader pressed his gun point into her skull, hard.

"Advance" He instructed in a deep throaty voice. Echo slowly entered with the guards still flanking her. The door closed behind them cutting off the light from the hall and sealing them all into the testing room. A screen flicked on. It was imbedded into the side wall. The Dr's face filled the large screen. Echo jaws clenched together until her teeth hurt

_I will kill you! _Echo thought at him darkly.

"Jameson" The Dr called spotting the Leader thanks to a small camera mounted on the same wall as the screen. Jameson snapped to attention behind Echo making her flinch and ready herself to attack.

"Ready the unit for faze one of the tests." The Dr ordered. Just as quickly as it had turned on the screen went black. Echo growled at the solders when they all turned towards her and aimed there sedative dart guns at her. Echo met Jameson's eye and held. She could see the pity clearly enough but his next actions took her completely off guard. He dropped his eyes and moved his weapon's aim off center slightly.

_Fool's looking for an excuse to let me go._

Echo realized in a matter of seconds. She rushed him and punched him so hard he flew off his feet and landed dazed on the floor feet away. She spun and punched another guard, slammed her elbow into one and kicked two down before the first dart was fired into her side. She ripped it out and hurled it back at the guard. Then the first round of gun fire tore through her stomach and she dropped to the ground writhing in pain. She gasped and tried not to dry heave in front of the men. She could feel her healing factor working immediately but the guards wasted no time in firing a dozen high dose darts into her.

She moved sluggishly, trying to get to her feet with the help of uncooperative muscles. Her vision blurred into dark shadows and she realized she wasn't even struggling anymore. Voices from far away spoke things her drugged mind couldn't grasp.

"Captain. Are you all right?" A voice asked. She waited for the answer that never came. She opened her eyes to see a shadow leaning over her. A blurry human shape gathered her close. She tried to push away, she tried to hit him but her fist just bounced off his chest weakly. Her body wouldn't help her. She fell victim to the sedatives and closed her eyes, her last thoughts fuzzy at best.

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** well what do you think? Should Jameson have told the Dr. about Echo's threat?  
:) evil grin  
hoped you all liked this chapter! It took longer than I thought it would to type it up. please review! I really would like feed back. I've only had a couple reviews so far and I can't make my writing better if i dont have advice from you guys so please please review...it only takes a couple seconds and i have enabled the review to accept non signed in members. :) Ok well I guess I will start typing up the next chap. See you guys soon. Bye and thanks for reading!**


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